It’s safe to say that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain‘s introduction to Scottish football and Celtic on Saturday evening was a dramatic one.
The Hoops confirmed a move to bring in the midfielder on a free transfer this weekend and as Martin O’Neill‘s Celts took on Dundee in the Scottish Cup, Oxlade-Chamberlain was paraded in front of fans.
Those fans witnessed a remarkable end to the game at Parkhead. While the Ox did not play a part in the match, fellow newbie in the form of Junior Adamu certainly played his part.
Signed on transfer deadline day, the centre-forward began his Celtic career with a bang, clipping home a classy finish deep into injury-time to send the game into extra-time.
Sebastian Tounekti will take a lot of the plaudits for his goal and assist in Glasgow but Adamu’s finish was worth its weight in gold. After the dire Wilfried Nancy reign, the Bhoys are firing again under O’Neill. He does, however, need to get Oxlade-Chamberlain up to speed ASAP.
Where Oxlade-Chamberlain could fit into Celtic’s midfield
This season has been full of problems for Celtic, whether it be in the wide positions where replacements still arguably await for the likes of Jota and Nicolas Kuhn or whether it’s in attack where Daizen Maeda has not hit the same heights as last term.
Yet, it feels like the midfield is one of the biggest problems and that’s precisely why Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought in post-deadline.
The Celts have long required someone to play alongside Calum McGregor in the middle of the park and he’s had plenty of partners, all who have delivered pretty inconsistent displays.
Reo Hatate – who was one of the best players in the Premiership under Ange Postecoglou – is faced with the nadir of his time in Scotland right now. Lacking drive, offensive threat and the ability to create a chance, it all feels a bit too safe when it comes to the Japanese midfielder’s game.
Then there’s Arne Engels. Subject of a £25m bid from Nottingham Forest on transfer deadline day, O’Neill joked that it would take a £100m bid to prise him away from Paradise, such is his importance. Yet, because of those bids, the Belgian’s future is still rather uncertain, even with the window now closed.
Top scorer Benjamin Nygren has also played a lot of the campaign in the middle of the park but his best position is arguably further forward, where he can impact play in the final third. His tally of 15 goals in 2025/26 testifies to that.
So, with Hatate out of form and Engels missing from the squad on Saturday, it does open up a spot for the Ox to move into. A partner for McGregor is needed and that’s where the former Arsenal man could come into the team.
That being said, it might be a few weeks yet before we see him starting games. Although the 32-year-old has been training with Arsenal, he has not played a game of football since 11th May when he was still at Besiktas.
The biggest loser from Oxlade-Chamberlain’s move to Celtic
Yes, the English midfielder may well be past his best, but it cannot be underestimated just how good a signing this is. This is a player who has not only won the Premier League but also won the Champions League. He’s been a brilliant footballer throughout his successful, if injury-prone career.
Oxlade-Chamberlain doesn’t have long to get up to speed between now and the end of the season but his arrival is bad news for a number of players in this Celtic team, not least the aforementioned Hatate but also Paulo Bernardo, two candidates to play alongside McGregor in the middle of the park.
There is a sense that now is the time to cash in on the Japan international, but surely now Celtic have signed another midfielder, Bernardo’s time in Scotland is also coming to an end?
|
Bernardo under each Celtic manager |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Manager |
Games |
Goal involvements |
|
Brendan Rodgers |
82 |
14 |
|
Wilfried Nancy |
4 |
0 |
|
Martin O’Neill |
8 |
0 |
In January, the Portuguese was the subject of interest from a number of teams, including an unnamed Danish club who reportedly made a loan bid. However, with the Hoops not having a replacement, that was rejected. Even without someone to replace him, though, that decision does feel like a peculiar one.
Indeed, now Oxlade-Chamberlain has arrived, it would be a surprise if the 24-year-old started again for Celtic, let alone played another match in the famous green and white stripes.
After all, the £3.5m signing is simply a player who isn’t rated very highly by O’Neill. That much has been clear from the lack of minutes he’s played in recent weeks.
Bernardo has only played 200 minutes across eight appearances under the Irishman since he returned to Glasgow this season and after his performance at the weekend, more minutes are unlikely to be forthcoming.
His appearance against Dundee in the cup was his first start since the win over Auchinleck in the last round of the Cup. In the league, he’s not played a single minute since the 2-0 victory over Motherwell in late December.
During that game, he was hooked at half-time with Luke McCowan coming on in his place. Against Dundee, he was replaced at the break once again, a damning indictment of his quality. O’Neill was clearly severely unimpressed with his performance and it was easy to see why.
Much to nobody’s surprise, he offered very little in attack and very little out of possession either. Fortunately, Oxlade-Chamberlain is the perfect remedy to that.
He’s a box-to-box machine, someone capable of penetrating enemy lines but also breaking up play. Sadly for Bernardo, his time at Celtic looks done and dusted.
“Best in Scotland” looks finished at Celtic after Oxlade-Chamberlain deal
The arrival of Oxlade-Chamberlain could be bad news for Celtic’s current crop.
